"I'll just sit here for a moment. Then, I'll be on my way," she told herself.
Suddenly, the grasses came alive around her. Lyra heard cackling and rustling from all around her. She knew she was surrounded. But by what? She pulled herself up from the prickle tree and scanned the grass, her eyes straining in the dim light. She saw several shadowy figures emerging from the base of the dried vegetation.
All around her were gnarled rouge goblins. Lyra could barely make out their pointed smiles and bumpy skin in the moonlight. She was outnumbered twenty to one. And she had nothing but her fists and legs to fight back.
"A special treat!" growled one of the goblins. "Yes, yes, a treat for us!" The rest chittered in agreement.
"S-stand back! I won't stand for any funny business!" said Lyra, her voice wavering. The goblin gang burst into cruel laughter. It made Lyra quake where she stood.
In a flash, they rushed her vulnerable body. She screeched in horror as they clambered over her flesh with hooked claws and bumpy feet. They tugged at her oversized coat, dragging it lower and lower and away from her warm skin. Tiny scratches covered her bare breasts and tummy as they searched the pockets of the fur coat. Her skin prickled with the chill of night and the terror of the goblins.
"No loot! No loot!" they screeched angrily. "Capture instead!"
"Get off of me!" screamed Lyra, swatting the little bodies off of her naked form. They climbed back onto her like a swarm of fire ants taking down their prey, viciously scratching and biting at her sensitive tits and tired abs. She was quickly being overwhelmed by the ferocious attack, goblins quickly taking advantage of her exhaustion and lack of defense.
Just when Lyra thought that it was all over, a great howl pierced the hills of the Badlands. The goblins all stopped, turning towards the source of the sound. It wasn't long before a huge furry figure barreled through the swarm of goblins, knocking them off of her battered body. The swarm quickly re-focused their efforts to the new threat.
Lyra stared in disbelief. It was the beast! It had found her and protected her from these horrible creatures. But why? She backed away slowly, her hands shaking uncontrollably. Her mind was filled with images from the cave. And yet, her groin quivered with a strangely familiar heat. Her heart was filled with both fire and dread.
Lyra ran away; far, far away. The sounds of the scuffle behind her faded away as she tumbled into a sea of pickle trees. The thorns scratched at her irritated skin. Sharp sticks dug into the soft soles of her feet. She finally collapsed under the twisted, bare canopy of trees looming overhead. Her heart pounded as tears streaked her rosy cheeks. Why had the beast come back for her? She couldn't understand. She pulled the now-torn fur coat over her shivering body once again.
It seemed like an eternity before the silence in the woods was broken. Lyra snapped to attention, immediately going to high alert. When she faced the source of the sound, she only found a tired, injured Kenn.
"Kenn?" Lyra gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I just wanted to make sure you were OK." He gave Lyra a defeated smile. "I had hoped that you wouldn't run into any trouble."
"Kenn, you look terrible! What happened?"
"It's nothing at all, Lyra. I promise. I just did what I had to do." Kenn keeled over into the stubbled grass. He was breathing heavily.
Lyra ran over and examined his frail body. It was covered in unmistakable scratches. Goblin scratches. She gazed over at her own arms. They were a perfect match. She stared at Kenn in disbelief, her hands now shaking. She took a deep breath.
"Lyra, I'm so sorry... It needed to be done, or else —"
"No, stop," said Lyra, her voice wavering. "We need to get you to some shelter. I-I need to deal with this later. But I can't let your kindness go unrewarded."
Lyra hoisted Kenn onto her tired shoulders, hauling him along the forest floor. She ducked into a shallow hollow in the ground, surrounded by a shield of thick waxy bushes. She set him on the cool earth, watching him nod off to a deep slumber. Lyra's stomach was churning, but she couldn't help but think of how peaceful Kenn's face looked as he slept. Looking at him was like an oxymoron.
Laying down next to him, Lyra draped the tattered coat over them both, trapping little bits of warmth to survive for the night. She fell hastily into a dark, dreamless sleep.
